Xifer's Braincookie archive:
July 23, 2003 | here
July 16, 2003 | here
July
30, 2003
Sleep deprivation is a drug, and you can get hooked on it. Don't
say I didn't warn you.
While
I don't necessarily recommend sleep deprivation as a way of life,
I'm finding that I need to look on the bright side of it from
time to time, need to have intimate knowledge of its benefits
and limitations, need to flip it over from time to time, if only
to see how it pees.
My point: If I seem just a little scattered and shooting
from the hip, it's due to a general underrepresentation of horizontalness
in recent weeks.
So enough about me, and the flock of invisible geese that follows
me around (the honking! the honking! when will it
cease??!!). Let's talk about you.
You're music folks in what is usually perceived as a world-class
music mecca. You and I both know that since those zany 1960's
the Bay Area has had an unshakeable reputation for being a real
musical contender. You and I both know that the reputation
in question has at times been quite deserved. You and I
both know that during the tail end of the 90's, live music took
an unprecedented dive into dinosaur-land from which many feared
it might never recover. Tens of thousands of on-paper
millionaires-under-30 trod into town from Dakotasotachusettes
(thanks Kev) and said, "Let them spin records!"
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Then
you suddenly stop reading and exclaim gleefully, "He's so
sleep-deprived he's taking the bait!!! He's gonna blame
the late 90's decline of the bay area music scene on cover bands
and DJ's!!!! In mere moments he's gonna sound like the heir
apparent to Joel Selvin!!!
And you couldn't be more wrong. Cover bands are a necessary evil,
but that's another column. Some of you go to see them, have
a fairly innocuous good time, throw back a Jameson's or 2, check
out a few hotties from Milpitas and go home ironically humming
'Sister Christian.' Again. Some of you don't. DJ's
(also another column) are cool too. Or not. They're
not the same as bands, but they share some properties in common,
like: Sometimes they're cool and sometimes they suck.
Now that the interloping mass of chowderheads who came to town
and threw Jacksons untold at collagen, overpriced tapas, hollow
stock options, and huge loft parties with 8 DJ's in every room
are gone for the most part (only the very strong and the very
stupid remain, and just so's we're all on the same page, unless
you specify a vodka-martini, expect gin) what we have left is
3 things:
1. A DJ community that seems (to me, a live music guy) pretty
strong as far as vibe, cooperation level, and international recognition
go. Note to the live music folks: Take a tip from
the bay's DJ scene. As far as promotion goes, they kick
live music's ass around here. We're learning, but we're
a little behind.
2. A growing community of bands that seems really strong.
Rehearsal space is remarkably affordable. People are
stumbling on interesting sub-genre's and hybrids. Bands
are forming alliances with artists, DJ's, dancers, clothing designers,
and other bands. Nobody's gotten famous yet so its still
really friendly. Bands actually seem to wish success for
each other, which is the biggest distinction between us and LA,
for example. |
3. YOU. And really the answer is, "You,"
all three times. You, you, you, what would music do without
you??! If the pope craps in the woods and nobody's there
to hear it, did he really crap? Sure he did, it just wasn't
as funny. What I'm noticing here in the smoky aftermath
of the sacrificial bonfire is an entirely new scene developing
because of you.
You're cultivating that healthy addiction to music that turns
folks into suckers for great mind- body- and heart-bending musical
experiences. You're throwing back some drinks on a school
night because you saw this band 3 weeks ago by accident and
then actually checked the listings to see when they were playing
again. You're befriending the bartender, and only partially
because your access to the guest-list increases, since you'd
be stoked if your new rock heroes actually made enough gas money
to make it to tomorrow's gig in Arcata.
You're uncrossing your arms, growing a little less obsessed
with your shoes, getting up from the table, and dancing the
jay lee in front of the stage because you bought the CD at the
last show, and know all the songs by heart. The last song
is coincidentally your favorite. You're yelling out for
one more song. You're so excited, and so appreciative,
and enjoying so goddamn much that you're gettin' loud and obnoxious
and you're....you're....YOU'RE MAKING A SCENE (get it?).
And we love you for it. Keep it up. Without you,
being us sucks way more often. Gonna try and squeeze in a catnap
before the club opens.
Peace,
-x
e-mail christopher@jaysieganpresents.com
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